Merciless Union by Faith Summers

8

Lucca

Iwalked around the house after Damien left. I just wanted to check things out and see what everything looked like in my absence.

The windows have been repaired, and the house cleaned—another courtesy of Aiden.

Instead of the five maids that usually run the home, I have two, which is fine.

As a rule, I never allow anyone to live on the premises. Marylin was the only person who did, and she lived in the cottage by the lake.

The only things that weren’t affected by the disaster were my mother’s roses and the offspring of my father’s Peregrine falcons. I have a guy who comes on sight to tend to the birds three times a week. He was one of my father’s associates who organized hunting bird sales. Luckily, I kept up the tradition, so the birds were fed and taken care of. What they lacked while I was away was the human companionship from me. They are the fourth generation of the falcons my father left behind.

With everything in order, I made my way up to my room. The first thing I noticed was what was missing.

My wife.

I’ve lived in this house for close to twenty years and this room for the last five years. In that all that time, my house has never felt more lonely than it does now.

Aria fit into my life even though she didn’t belong.

Being inside this room without her tears me apart. For all the skills I have, I failed her, and fuck knows what she must be going through now.

I close my eyes and inhale the scent of her that lingers in the air. It still smells like roses and hope and dreams.

With a sigh, I open my eyes and follow the scent to the closet where her clothes hang.

The first things I see when I walk in are her violin case and journals.

It’s not the first time that I’ve seen either. On occasion, I’ve picked up her violin and looked at it.

What made me do it was the memory of her playing it and the shock that the loss of her memories took her ability to play with it.

It’s the first time, though, that I’ve really taken note of her journals.

I never looked at them before because I was respecting her privacy.

I shouldn’t look now because I should still be respectful. I’m only compelled because they’re a part of her.

I reach for the one on top and open it. There are a few pictures of her parents, and it’s more like a scrapbook than a journal. There’s no writing inside other than the dates, which tell me she made it when she was fourteen.

The next journal I pick up is more childlike for the color. The cover is a silky pink material with beads on it.

When I open it, what I see on the first page stuns me.

Inside is a pressed dried rose taped to the center of the page with these words:

Today is my birthday.

The boy of my dreams gave me this rose and my first kiss.

I never want to forget today for as long as I live.

When I look at the date, I see the entry was made on that dreaded day.

It was the same day my family was killed. Her birthday.

She was ten years old that day, and I was the boy who gave her the rose.

I gaze at the rose and what she wrote, and in that moment, I promise myself if I save her from this, I’ll be strong enough to let her go when the time comes.

When I’m sure she’s safe.

I fully planned to take my girl and leave everything behind, but I know it won’t just work like that. Not when the girl shouldn’t belong to me.

A tap on the opened door has me lifting my head.

Alexei stands there, looking cautious.

While he lifts his head and has the same authority you’d expect a Vor to have, his eyes give him away. He looks saddened to see me with a cane, and I’m sure he must have been brought up to speed by now about Jon.

“Boss, I just came to check on you,” he states.

“I’m just getting ready for the meeting. I’ll leave in an hour,” I reply.

“Okay, but how are you doing?”

It wasn’t he who wronged me, but right now, I can’t be blamed for having trust issues.

“I can move. Thanks for asking. Now leave me.”

He straightens up. “I wouldn’t betray you the way Jon did, Lucca.” His gaze clings to mine. “I have no need. I don’t expect you to trust me or what I’m saying, but I thought I should say so to clear the air with you.”

I nod. “I accept that.”

“I suspected something off with Jon a few times, but I was never sure enough to say anything.”

“What did he do to make you suspect?” I’d love to hear since I missed every sign.

“It was weird phone calls. At first, I thought it was his woman, but then I didn’t. I didn’t have anything concrete. Now I wish I’d said something, anything, even if it meant nothing came of it. At least then, you would have had a heads up. I just never thought he could betray you because you two go way back. Forgive me.”

“There’s no need to ask. I would have done the same if I were you. You don’t expect a friend like Jon to issue such betrayal.”

“No. Anyway. The men have been briefed, and we’re ready to move on your word. I am liaising with Aiden’s men to look for both Jon and Raphael, and I have a team who will focus on ensuring the safety of your wife when we find her.”

“Thank you,” I dip my head, and he leaves.

It’s time to face the Brotherhood.

Time to take things to the next level.

* * *

I left the cane behind so I wouldn’t look weak.

As I open the door to go into the meeting room, I make sure I walk in, stepping strong, even though my middle feels like it’s being supported by a thin layer of ice.

I stride with my head held high and like I hadn’t been fighting for my life days ago.

The look of shock that settles on the men's faces around Grigori’s table when they see me is classic. The only person who doesn’t look shocked is Damien. But he still looks pissed as fuck at me.

Grigori stands instantly and moves to me with the speed of a man half his age.

“Lucca, where have you been. We have been looking everywhere for you,” he beams, holding my shoulders and searching my face like he’s checking I’m really alive.

“I have much to tell you, Pakhan.”

My eyes dart to Pasha, who looks paler than his usual for seeing me. This is the second time that I’ve seen him and had to tamp down my wrath. The last time was on my wedding day.

Now I have to put on the same act.

He stands too while the men in the room whisper.

“We thought you were dead,” Pasha says, cutting Damien a sharp glance.

“I nearly was. I’m afraid we have many traitors amongst us,” I state, and Grigori tenses.

“Give me their names.”

“Raphael De Marchi and Jon Kimkin.”

Grigori and Pasha exchange glances, but I look at Damien, who seems less tense with me.

“Tell me what they have done,” Grigori says and tell him, I do.

I explain what Raphael was up to and his theft, and then I tell them about Jon.

I talk about all the crimes against the Bratva and Grigori himself but leave out the things that truly broke me. Things that mattered to both me and Damien, like Raphael’s involvement with Timothy or my family’s deaths. Because I no longer have the chip, I have no proof.

If I mentioned Timothy now, the only proof I’d have is Raphael’s ring. That would alert Grigori I’d been plotting against Raphael all these years, and there were things I could have told him but didn’t. It would incriminate me.

Having that chip would have made Raphael answer for all.

I leave out Gina Delatorre too. She wouldn’t make sense without the chip.

However, I don’t allow the absence of it to stop me from telling them Raphael has been working with Tobias Rivera and his plans for the Camorra.

By the time I get to that part, Grigori’s face is red, and if he were a younger man, I could imagine him going after Raphael himself to kill him.

“My recommendation for both Raphael and Jon is death by execution,” I say to Grigori. “I will carry out the punishment myself; I just need your authorization first, Pakhan.”

“Merciless, you would not have needed my permission to carry out this punishment. You more than have my authorization. However, since you have been so gracious in telling me, I want that bastard Raphael for myself. He has used me. Nobody does that to me. Take all the resources and men you need to smoke them out and bring Raphael to me alive. Bring him to this room, so I can take his life in front of the Vory. You can kill Jon and anybody else who followed them.”

I dip my head respectfully.

I wanted to be the one to kill Raphael, but this is fine.

I look at Damien once more, and he nods to me.

It is done.